Seraphina's POV

Every muscle in my body screamed with exhaustion. The day had stretched endlessly - tending to the pack kitchen, ensuring operations ran without a hitch, caring for the abandoned pups discovered beyond our territory boundaries, and entertaining the orphaned children who looked to me for comfort. My bones ached for nothing more than a scalding bath and the sanctuary of my bedroom.

Typically, our house remained silent at this hour. Julian and I existed as strangers sharing the same roof. Most evenings, he disappeared before I returned home, and days would pass without us crossing paths. Tonight, however, something had shifted. Rich laughter echoed from the living room - genuine, warm laughter I hadn't heard from him in years, certainly never within these walls.

Dread twisted in my stomach before I even stepped inside. When I finally entered the living room, the scene before me stole my breath. There on our sofa sat my mate and betrothed, doubled over with mirth.

His eyes blazed with a light I'd forgotten existed, radiating pure joy - none of which was meant for me. Every spark of happiness belonged to her.

Roxanne.

My sister had returned.

She appeared untouched by time, perhaps even more stunning than before. Her cascading ebony waves framed a face blessed with emerald eyes that could ensnare anyone's attention. She remained breathtakingly beautiful, a vision that could stop traffic. Yet her beauty wasn't what paralyzed me. It was the way Julian gazed at her, the radiant smile painting her features.

The sight transported me to memories I'd buried deep. The past I'd fought so hard to escape.

I never chose this destiny, but fate had dragged me here kicking and screaming. For eighteen years, I lived as an omega's daughter, enduring a miserable existence under a mother who despised me for reasons I never understood. My father remained too weak to intervene, allowing her cruelty to flourish unchecked. I suffered in silence because it was all I knew, until the day she shattered my world. She confessed - not privately, but before the entire pack - that I wasn't her blood. She'd switched me with her real daughter at birth, revealing the devastating truth: I was Alpha Maxwell's biological child from the Solstice Fang.

The revelation suffocated me. My throat constricted, and indescribable agony tore through my chest.

The past was crashing back with devastating force. I became that terrified girl again, arriving at the Solstice Fang with nothing but a worn backpack containing three pitiful outfits.

Every instinct urged me to flee. I couldn't face this confrontation, not tonight. But Roxanne's eyes found mine, and her smile transformed into something cruel and calculating. She hadn't changed at all - still the same Roxanne who thrived on destruction. The difference was that this time, she didn't need to lift a finger. The tableau before me provided all the torment she could desire.

"Sister," she purred, rising gracefully. She didn't bother masking her satisfaction. Victory danced in her gaze as she absorbed my discomfort, relishing every moment of my obvious pain.

"Forgive us for not noticing you," she continued, her voice dripping false sweetness. "I hope you haven't been standing there too long. You should have joined us - we have so much catching up to do."

I couldn't fathom why she maintained this charade. Everyone knew we despised each other, though she'd always painted me as the aggressor. The truth was, I'd never harbored ill will toward her, not then, not now. But in her eyes, I would forever remain a threat to her carefully constructed world.

She resented me for reclaiming my birthright, for making her the adopted daughter while I became the blood heir. I hadn't come to destroy her life, yet my very existence had upended everything.

Before my arrival, everyone assumed she would become Julian's destined mate. But when I came of age and encountered Julian, our mate bond blazed to life, crushing her dreams to dust.

She wept for weeks, but tears couldn't rewrite destiny. So she began her campaign against me, framing me for imagined slights while playing the innocent victim. Her tears became her greatest weapon.

Julian had remained silent upon discovering our bond, never fighting the connection fate had forged. But Roxanne's performances slowly poisoned him against me. I pleaded my innocence repeatedly, but no one believed me. They chose Roxanne, the girl they'd watched grow up, over the outsider who'd invaded their perfect world.

When I feared Julian might reject me entirely, Alpha Quintus - Julian's father - delivered an ultimatum that stripped away his son's choices.

Marry his fated mate and secure prosperity for their pack, or forfeit his right to lead.

Essentially, Julian had been coerced into accepting our relationship.

"I'm afraid I can't stay," Julian announced, standing and finally acknowledging my existence. His eyes held nothing - no warmth, no recognition, just arctic indifference. I'd grown accustomed to this treatment, but tonight I'd desperately hoped for some reassurance. Instead, he reminded me exactly where I stood in his priorities.

"Can you prepare Roxanne a room?" he asked, though his tone made it clear this wasn't a request.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" The words escaped before I could stop them. I deserved an explanation, but he'd already dismissed me, making it obvious this was a command, not a conversation.

Questions burned in my throat - why was she here, and why hadn't I been informed? But I swallowed them, knowing the answers would only deepen my anguish. Especially when he turned to Roxanne with tender concern instead of sparing me even a glance. I was dying inside, but to him, I remained invisible. My heartbreak meant nothing because I meant nothing.

I forced down the lump threatening to choke me, refusing to crumble before them both.

"I wish I could cancel this summit, but my attendance is crucial," he told her, his voice gentle in a way he'd never used with me. "But I'll return tonight."

He'd never felt obligated to explain his schedule to me. I simply didn't matter enough.

Roxanne immediately threw herself into his arms while I stood mere feet away, forgotten. He didn't push her away.

"I missed you terribly. Please hurry back," she whispered against his chest, and he gazed down at her with unmistakable tenderness.

I watched it all unfold like a ghost haunting my own home, my own life. He lavished upon her the affection I'd craved for two long years. I couldn't even remember how his gentleness felt anymore. The sight gutted me completely.

When he finally released her, he strode past me without acknowledgment. Only Roxanne and I remained, suffocating silence stretching between us. Her innocent facade vanished the moment he disappeared. Pure triumph gleamed in her eyes, and she'd earned it - she'd claimed everything that would forever remain beyond my reach.

I inhaled deeply, forcing my composure back into place. I needed to appear unaffected, even as my world disintegrated around me.

"Roxanne," I began carefully, "seeing you is certainly unexpected. Unfortunately, I wasn't notified of your arrival. Had I known, proper arrangements would have been made. I'm afraid we cannot accommodate you here. Please return to the Solstice Fang. I'm certain our parents are eager for your company."

Her expression shifted rapidly - shock, then rage, finally settling into that familiar, chilling smile.

"Oh dear sister, surely he didn't keep you in the dark!" she exclaimed, stepping closer with predatory grace. "I'd planned to go straight home from the airport, but Julian practically begged me to come here instead. He's even promised to throw an elaborate welcome party in my honor."

...

Seraphina's POV

My heart dropped to my stomach. Roxanne's cruel words sliced through me like a blade, but I stood there and took it. This was what I deserved for even imagining a different future with Julian. The pain felt familiar, a constant companion that had lived in my chest for years.

If he really wanted Roxanne back, why hadn't he told me? Why hadn't he rejected me outright? I would have been devastated, but I never would have stood in his way. He had never cared about my feelings anyway. I was a fool for thinking things could be different. I should have known she would return, and that he would welcome her back without hesitation. He always had.

"I'm glad you decided to come home," I said, forcing my voice to stay level even as my knees threatened to buckle. "But whoever brought you from the airport should be the one helping you settle in. Tell them I can't do it."

I turned and walked away, fighting every instinct to run. Behind me, I could hear her soft laughter, each sound like a knife twisting in my wounds. My legs felt weak and unsteady, but I couldn't collapse. Not here. Not where she could see.

I barely remember making it back to my room. The second I closed the door behind me, I locked it and stumbled toward the bathroom. I turned the shower on full blast, letting the freezing water shock my system. I wanted to scream until my throat was raw, wanted to break something, but I couldn't afford to lose control.

I was exhausted in every possible way. Physically drained from years of trying to prove myself. Mentally worn down from constant rejection. Emotionally empty from loving someone who would never love me back. I had no tears left to cry because crying never changed anything.

This brought back every horrible memory from my early days at Solstice Fang. Living there had been a daily nightmare.

I was Alpha Maxwell's biological daughter, but they treated me like I was nothing. Like I didn't exist.

They had always chosen Roxanne over me without a second thought. My father spent hours teaching her pack management, took her hunting, showed her how to fight. He never once asked if I wanted to learn. My mother cooked Roxanne's favorite meals, took her shopping for clothes I could only dream of owning, treated her like a best friend. She barely acknowledged my presence.

All because I had no wolf.

My mother had actually told me once that she regretted bringing me to Solstice Fang in the first place. They saw me as an embarrassment, a stain on their perfect family image.

Watching them shower Roxanne with the love and attention I desperately craved was torture. It felt like they were ripping my heart out over and over again.

After a long shower that did nothing to wash away my pain, I collapsed into bed. I expected to lie awake all night with my thoughts spinning and my heart aching. But my body and mind had reached their limit. I fell into a deep, mercifully dreamless sleep.

My phone ringing jolted me awake. This was unusual since nobody ever called me unless something was seriously wrong. I answered without checking who it was. His voice made my stomach clench.

"Where are you?" Julian's tone was ice cold and demanding.

I sat up quickly, trying to clear the fog from my brain. I was usually prepared for everything. If we had something important planned today, I wouldn't have slept so deeply. I couldn't figure out what he meant.

"Why aren't you here yet?" he repeated when I didn't respond immediately. I searched my memory frantically, trying to remember if I had forgotten something crucial.

"Where am I supposed to be?" I finally managed to ask.

"Roxanne mentioned she told you about her welcome party." His words hit me like a physical blow. He was angry at me for not being there to watch him celebrate the woman he really wanted.

"I can't make it," I whispered, already knowing it was pointless. I wanted to hang up and disappear forever, but I knew better. When Julian gave an order, I had to obey.

"You're my mate. You will be there. I expect to see you soon." The line went dead before I could argue. Of course. The master had spoken, and the servant would comply. Just like always.

I forced myself to get ready, applying makeup to hide how exhausted and broken I looked. My future mother-in-law constantly reminded me that a Luna must always appear put-together, that she must set an example for the pack. I hated makeup, but it was the only way to mask the pain written all over my face.

I was late when I finally arrived at the pack bar. Even from outside the massive building, I could hear their loud laughter and celebration. Roxanne's voice rang out above all the others, bright and joyful.

I pushed through the heavy doors and stepped inside. The entire room went silent. Every pair of eyes turned toward me, filled with hatred and disgust. They didn't need to say a word. Their silence spoke volumes about how unwelcome I was.

They didn't want me there, but I forced myself to hold my head high and walk toward their table. When I got closer, I realized there was no seat for me. Roxanne was sitting right next to my mate, looking like she belonged there more than I ever had.

I didn't break down. I didn't let them see how much their rejection destroyed me. I found a small empty table in a dark corner, away from their laughter and happiness. I held everything inside, but my heart felt every cruel slight.

I didn't belong in their perfect moment because I had never been one of them. They had all grown up together, shared memories and inside jokes I would never understand. They loved Roxanne like a sister and hated me for supposedly breaking her heart.

I had been humiliated many times before, but this felt different. Worse. Gift after gift appeared for Roxanne, each one more thoughtful than the last. I hadn't received so much as a kind word since she returned. I knew I wasn't their first choice, but I didn't deserve this level of cruelty.

I wasn't asking them to stop loving her. I just wanted a tiny fraction of that warmth and acceptance. I had tried so hard to earn their respect, but nothing I did was ever good enough.

They had called me names, excluded me from everything important, and made it clear I would never truly belong.

"This is all so wonderful! Thank you for these amazing gifts! I missed you all so much!" Roxanne gushed, practically melting into Julian's side. "But surely you got me something special too? Something you picked out yourself?"

Everyone knew Julian would have brought her a gift. When he pulled out an elegant necklace, my heart stopped.

"I saw this on my way back to the pack. It reminded me of you." He smiled at her in a way he had never smiled at me.

I stared at my mate in shock. Julian was always too busy with pack business to shop for gifts. Everything he gave me was selected by his beta and delivered like a business transaction. He had never personally chosen anything for me. Not once.

On my first birthday as his mate, I received flowers and a generic card. The next year brought a fruit basket. I knew he hadn't picked any of it. These gifts were just obligations, things he had to do to maintain appearances for his father. He wanted us to look happy together in front of Alpha Quintus, so I played my part.

Everything about our relationship was fake, designed to fool others.

I thought the evening couldn't get worse until someone suggested Roxanne should thank him properly for such a personal gift. Right in front of me.

"Roxanne," her closest friend said with a sly grin, "Julian personally selected that necklace just for you. Don't you think such thoughtfulness deserves a proper thank you?"

"Kiss him!" someone else shouted.

...

Seraphina's POV

Roxanne glided toward Julian through the scattered applause, her face glowing with shy excitement.

I stood motionless, watching this pathetic display with dead eyes. If anyone here truly saw me as their future Luna, they would never dare humiliate me like this. They had crushed my dignity under their feet.

But I was curious about one thing. What would Julian do?

Would he let her kiss him in front of everyone?

To my shock, Julian jerked his head away, dodging Roxanne's advance.

"Stop," he snapped, his voice slicing through the applause like ice. "A man doesn't wait for a woman to make the move."

He stepped backward, shooting their friend a look that finally killed the show.

Then his eyes locked on mine.

I raised an eyebrow, my mouth twisting into a cold smile. Was he suggesting he should have been the one to start it? Would he already have his hands all over her if I wasn't here?

My freezing stare seemed to shake him. Julian's face darkened, then he purposely looked away and threw himself back into the party.

The people around me saw everything.

"She needs to give up. Julian belongs with Roxanne," someone whispered.

"Look at her. Always trying so hard to make everyone happy. Acting like she's perfect. But we all know better."

"She's not Luna yet," another voice cut in. "Things could change any second."

I let out a long breath. I stayed quiet. Three years with the Zenith Moon Fang had shown me the power of words. How they could slice you open, how they could burn. Once, they had torn through me, sparking rage, pain, the wild need to fight back. But time had changed me, turned what was soft into stone. Now, I don't react anymore. I don't care anymore.

That's when I heard that sickeningly sweet voice.

"I'm so sorry you have to sit way over here," Roxanne purred as she approached. "There wasn't any room at our table. I feel terrible about it."

Her face showed no real guilt. Not even a hint. She was loving every second of this. She had pulled this same trick on me two years ago. And here she was, doing it again.

"Don't apologize. I don't mind," I said quietly.

"What about my present? I can't wait to see what my sister got me. What is it?" She asked with a bright smile.

I flashed her my biggest, most fake smile. "I had no idea you were coming. If I had known, as your sister and as Luna of this pack, I definitely would have gotten you something. Maybe next time you decide to visit. But you'll need to give me a heads up first."

I was throwing their game right back at them. As Roxanne's sister and pack Luna, I wasn't told my own sister was coming home and having a party thrown for her. Nobody bothered to inform me. But they seemed blind to my sarcasm. Or maybe they were pretending not to understand.

Roxanne went rigid. The group at her table looked stunned.

"Why are you being so cruel to me?" she demanded.

I stared at her, genuinely confused. Cruel? I had only told the truth.

"I just got home," she continued. "And you're already planning my departure. We even saw each other this afternoon. Why don't you have a gift for me? Don't you want me back?"

Then came the waterworks. Her tears. They never failed her. And they worked perfectly today. Everyone jumped up. They swarmed to her side to protect her.

I couldn't figure out what I had said wrong. She had attacked me. I simply responded. I hadn't even been harsh. But once again, I was painted as the villain.

"How could you treat her like that?" The Beta's wife charged at me, ready for battle. I knew she hated me. They all did. But everyone was listening. They all knew I had done nothing wrong. So why were they attacking me?

"I'm heartbroken. My sister doesn't want me home," Roxanne wept, throwing herself into the Beta's wife's arms.

Tears stung my eyes, but I set my jaw. My fingers gripped my purse like it could anchor me. I will not cry.

"At least say you're sorry!" the Gamma shouted.

"No." I spoke with iron control. "I honestly don't understand what I said that hurt her feelings so badly. Wasn't I speaking the truth? How was I supposed to get her a gift when nobody told me she was coming back?"

"That's no excuse for treating her coldly! She's your sister, and you should be celebrating her return," the Beta's wife snapped.

"I won't apologize." My voice was pure steel. I looked toward Julian, but his silence was a fortress, his expression unreadable. Did he blame me too? The thought flickered, but I crushed it before it could grow.

Without another word, I pushed through the crowd, stopping only when I stood before him. "I'm going home."

No explanations, no weakness, just the harsh, simple truth. If walking away meant defeat, then fine. But I refused to stand there and let them tear me apart.

"I'll drive you."

The offer shocked me. Not because it was generous, but because I hadn't expected it. Roxanne's reaction matched mine, though hers dripped with jealousy.

"Have your beta take her," she whined, wrapping her fingers around his arm. "We haven't been together in forever. Stay with me longer. I've missed you so much."

"Enjoy yourself with everyone else." Julian ruffled her hair like she was a child before turning to me. "I'll take you back. We both know you can't protect yourself."

The words dropped like a bomb. Every pair of eyes in the room snapped to me, their gazes sharp with judgment. They all knew the truth. The truth constantly shoved in my face. I had no wolf, no power, no right to be Julian's Luna.

I didn't wait to see their smug looks. Didn't let myself wonder if their pity cut deeper than their hatred. My purse was in my hand before the whispers could begin, my back straight as I headed for the exit.

Let them gossip. I refused to be their entertainment.

...

Julian's POV

The road to the packhouse stretched ahead of us, thick with unspoken tension. Seraphina remained silent in the passenger seat, her gaze locked on the blur of trees rushing past her window. I could feel waves of fury rolling off her, hot and suffocating. It left me completely bewildered. What had I done wrong? Tonight's gathering had been routine, nothing unusual from where I stood.

"Are you alright?" The question slipped out, though her rigid posture already gave me the answer.

"Does it matter to you?" Her voice cut through the air like a blade. This sharp edge was foreign coming from her.

"Obviously it does. Something's bothering you."

"Bothering me?" She let out a harsh laugh. "That's what you're calling this, Julian? Just bothered? You showed Roxanne off like I was nothing more than wallpaper in our own home. Did you even notice I existed tonight?"

"I have no idea what you mean." The words came out rougher than intended. Seraphina's habit of bottling everything up until it exploded was driving me to the edge. Her silences had grown longer, her thoughts locked away where I couldn't access them.

"Why is Roxanne staying in the packhouse?" Seraphina's tone turned razor-sharp, her stare cutting deeper than any physical wound. "Why bring me tonight if your goal was to make me look like a fool?"

The accusation slammed into me like an unexpected blow. I searched her face, trying to piece together how a simple pack gathering had morphed into this nightmare. I hadn't intended to hurt her feelings.

"Your reasoning escapes me. You're required at these functions as the pack's luna." The explanation seemed obvious to me. Her attendance wasn't optional at pack events, whether they were major celebrations or intimate gatherings. She usually handled these situations flawlessly, which made her current reaction even more puzzling.

"Answer me this, Julian. Just be truthful for once. If Alpha Quintus hadn't demanded it, if there wasn't some ancient agreement between our packs, would you have picked me as your Luna?" The question hit me like lightning, freezing my thoughts completely.

Years ago, that same question would have received an immediate negative response. But now I recognized her genuine compassion, her dedication to every pack member regardless of their status.

My mind raced, searching for the perfect response while my mouth remained stubbornly silent.

"Your silence speaks volumes because we both understand Roxanne was always your first choice, and I was just an inconvenient obstacle." Seraphina's words jolted me back to reality. Before I could form a reply, she turned away, her reflection ghostlike against the dark window. Her silence became deafening. I watched her shoulders cave inward, defeat flickering across her features.

My jaw tightened. This wasn't how conversations between an Alpha and his... whatever Seraphina represented to me... were supposed to unfold.

Our relationship didn't follow the typical mate bond story, but Roxanne had never posed a threat to me. She'd grown up alongside me in our childhood. She'd been absent from both the Solstice Fang and the Zenith Moon Fang for nearly four years, returning specifically for my upcoming Alpha Succession Ceremony. I valued her gesture, and my decision to host her stemmed from considering her family to both of us.

The arrangement was temporary for someone I viewed as a beloved sister. Once my succession concluded, she would return to the Solstice Fang.

Roxanne had never been anything beyond a little sister in my eyes. I'd watched her grow up, and my feelings for her were purely protective. But Seraphina's hostility toward Roxanne remained a mystery. It transported me back to the day Roxanne departed years ago.

Rain had pounded against the windows as Roxanne spoke through her tears, her voice fracturing as she revealed how Seraphina had rejected every peace offering.

"I tried to apologize for what my mother did," she'd whispered, "but Seraphina refused to listen. The things she said to me... were cruel. She even banished me from the Solstice Fang."

"I'll make it right. I'm returning everything to Seraphina - Alpha Maxwell, Luna Celeste, all of it." The defeat in her voice had cut deeper than the storm outside. She'd been so broken, consumed with guilt over her birth mother's actions of switching her and Seraphina as infants, stealing Seraphina's rightful life.

However terrible the situation was, Roxanne bore no responsibility since she'd been an innocent baby during the deception. Seraphina couldn't see past her anger. She'd rejected every attempt Roxanne made at reconciliation, constantly attacking and belittling her, which infuriated me because Roxanne was genuinely trying to correct an unforgivable wrong.

Then Roxanne had left the Solstice Fang. Completely alone.

I'd been enraged when my father arranged our marriage because rejection had been my only desire. Nevertheless, I had to respect our mate bond for my father's sake and the pack's stability. Still, I'd discovered an escape clause. A brief postponement to give myself breathing room.

Years. I'd sworn to mark her during my alpha ceremony, but my father had demanded our engagement in the interim, and I'd reluctantly agreed.

The delay was simply avoiding the unavoidable since Alpha Quintus would never reconsider. My father was honorable and just, but my personal desires meant nothing to him.

Yet everything had shifted during these years. Seeing Seraphina, truly observing her, hadn't been difficult. I'd watched her from the sidelines. Witnessed her transformation into someone I'd never imagined she could become.

She'd worked tirelessly and supported the Fang in unexpected ways. She showed strength when necessary and protected everyone around the pack, whether they held high or low positions. Most of her time was spent at the orphanage with the young ones, consoling them and trying to heal the wounds left by absent parents. She understood their pain better than anyone, despite having two sets of parents herself.

She never missed pack meetings, always offering valuable insights and assistance. I could leave this pack for weeks, and upon my return, everything would remain perfectly organized.

Understanding her had always eluded me because observing her over these years revealed the most compassionate person I'd ever encountered, someone who sacrificed everything for others.

I'd also realized that having Seraphina as the Zenith Fang's Luna wasn't a burden. She possessed strength and remarkable capability. An excellent choice in my judgment. Even a flawless Luna.

But the contradiction continued to torment me. She was completely different from Roxanne's descriptions. Was Seraphina performing the role of perfect Luna, or had Roxanne been lying to me?

...

Seraphina's POV

The echo of our last conversation haunted me like a persistent shadow. Julian's casual dismissal of my feelings had shattered something fundamental inside me. The realization hit me with brutal clarity - he didn't see me as his mate, his partner, or even as someone worth his time.

Exhaustion settled into my bones like a heavy fog. I needed space to breathe, to think, to understand what I truly wanted from this life. The solution seemed simple enough - I would retreat from the world that demanded so much while giving so little in return.

I pulled the covers over my head and announced to anyone who asked that I was running a fever. For days, I remained hidden in my room, claiming illness while my heart slowly cracked apart.

My absence created chaos I hadn't anticipated. The pack members who had always taken my work for granted suddenly found themselves lost without their invisible caretaker. The whispers started almost immediately, floating through my closed door like poisoned arrows.

"Where is she when we need her?"

"A real Luna wouldn't abandon her responsibilities."

"This mess is all because she's hiding in her room."

Their complaints stung worse than any physical wound. Not once did anyone knock to ask how I felt or offer comfort. No warm soup appeared at my door, no gentle hands checked my forehead for fever. Instead, they treated my supposed illness like a personal attack against them.

The pack's daily routines crumbled without my constant attention. Supplies ran low because I wasn't there to reorder them. Meals were delayed because the kitchen staff expected me to coordinate everything. Children wandered around asking for me, some crying when told I was sick, and their tears made guilt twist in my stomach like a knife.

Julian's absence made everything worse. He was consumed with some important pack seminar, leaving the territory for days at a time. Even when I was supposedly ill, he didn't visit, didn't call, didn't seem to notice or care that his mate was suffering.

Then there was Roxanne.

While I hid away licking my wounds, she glided into my role with practiced ease. Through my bedroom walls, I heard pack members singing her praises, their voices warm with genuine appreciation.

"She's so thoughtful, always knows exactly what to say."

"Roxanne handles everything with such grace. A natural born Luna."

"We're so lucky to have someone like her helping us."

The comparison was inevitable and crushing. Roxanne had slipped into my life like she belonged there, winning hearts I had spent years trying to reach. She possessed the effortless charm that I could never master, the instinctive understanding of what people needed to hear.

This pattern wasn't new. Back in the Solstice Fang, Roxanne had played the perfect daughter while I struggled for scraps of parental affection. Despite being their biological child, I watched my parents lavish love on the girl who knew exactly how to earn it. Roxanne had a gift for making others feel inadequate, and she wielded it like a weapon.

Lying in my bed listening to the world spin without me, the truth became impossible to ignore. No matter how hard I tried, how much I sacrificed, how desperately I worked to prove myself, they would never fully accept me. The reason was simple and unchangeable - I was a Luna without a wolf.

Without that primal connection, without the power that commanded natural respect, I was just a human girl playing pretend in a role meant for someone stronger. Roxanne had what I lacked - the wolf spirit that made her one of them in ways I could never be.

The realization should have broken me, but instead it brought clarity. For the first time in years, I made a decision based solely on what I wanted, not what others expected.

I was leaving.

Packing took less time than I had imagined. Most of my possessions had been bought with Julian's money, and I wanted to take only what was truly mine. Three years of my life fit into a single small suitcase, a fact that struck me as both pathetic and liberating.

I had wasted so much time trying to mold myself into someone Julian might love, someone the pack might respect. All of it had been pointless.

The packhouse seemed empty as I made my way toward the exit. Most people were busy with their daily routines, too absorbed in their own lives to notice one more person walking through the halls.

I almost made it out undetected.

"Going somewhere interesting?"

Gamma Nolan stood near the front entrance, his eyes moving between my face and the suitcase in my hand. His expression twisted with disdain as understanding dawned.

"Let me guess," he continued with a cruel smile. "This is some dramatic gesture to force Alpha's hand? Make him choose between you and Roxanne?" He laughed harshly. "You're not nearly important enough for that kind of power play."

I said nothing, but Nolan wasn't finished.

"Everyone knows where Julian's heart truly lies," he taunted, circling me like a predator savoring wounded prey. "Roxanne has always been his real mate. You were just a placeholder, a poor substitute until she returned. Did you actually believe you could replace her permanently?"

Other pack members had begun to gather, drawn by the confrontation. They watched in silence, their faces revealing nothing but mild curiosity. No one stepped forward to defend me.

"Julian never wanted you," Nolan delivered the final blow with obvious satisfaction. "And neither do we."

Something cold and sharp crystallized in my chest. When I spoke, my voice carried a deadly calm that made several onlookers step back.

"Tell me, Nolan - does Roxanne keep you on a short leash, or do you simply enjoy groveling at her feet?"

His face darkened instantly, muscles tensing with barely controlled rage. "What did you just say to me?"

I smiled, the expression containing no warmth. "I'm suggesting you follow her around like a desperate dog hoping for table scraps. How utterly pathetic."

His hand connected with my cheek before I could blink, the slap echoing through the sudden silence. Pain bloomed across my face, but I didn't flinch or touch the injury. Instead, I turned back to meet his furious gaze with calm satisfaction.

"There's the real you," I murmured, tasting blood on my lip. "A violent brute who strikes females when his feelings get hurt."

Nolan lunged forward again, but other pack members finally intervened, grabbing his arms before he could land another blow.

"Remember this moment," I told him, my voice carrying a promise that made him still. "When our paths cross again, you'll pay for that mistake."

I walked toward the gate without looking back, leaving behind the only home I had known for years. The sting of Nolan's slap faded with each step, but so did the last traces of any affection I had felt for the Zenith Moon Fang.

As the territory disappeared behind me, I wondered if Julian would even notice my absence. Would he care enough to follow? Would he realize what he had lost?

The answer came to me with brutal certainty - no, he wouldn't.

He had spent years trying to push me away through indifference and neglect. His treatment of me had given the pack permission to view me as an outsider, someone unworthy of basic respect. A true Alpha would have protected his mate, but Julian had only offered me cold disdain.

My leaving wasn't a tragedy - it was freedom.